The most famous coaching comeback in Minnesota sports occurred in the fall of 1945, when Bernie Bierman returned from World War II service as a Marine officer to again take charge of Gophers football.
Bierman had coached the Gophers for 10 seasons, 1932-1941, with a record of 63-12-5 and five teams voted as national champions.
The Gophers had an exceptional roster in 1949, and a first trip to the Rose Bowl was anticipated. They finished 7-2, 4-2 in the Big Ten (with losses to Michigan and Purdue) and Bernie's war veterans headed to the NFL and other pursuits.
The Gophers finished 1-7-1 in 1950 and Bierman was forced out as coach at age 57. His record for six postwar seasons was 30-23-1.
Bud Grant, one of Bernie's boys from that '49 team, had a notorious comeback with the Vikings. Practicality was Bud's byword, as seen recently with his much publicized garage sale, where an autograph required a $25 purchase of Coach Grant's used merchandise.
Bud put together a Hall of Fame coaching résumé from 1967 through 1983 with the Vikings, retired, and then allowed a desperate Vikings CEO Mike Lynn to bribe him to return. Grant took the Vikings from Les Steckel's 3-13 to 7-9 in 1985 and quit again, taking a sweet contract as a consultant with him.
Glen Sonmor had a nice run as North Stars' coach from 1978 to 1983, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 1981. He came back early in the 1984-85 season and couldn't turn around a sagging team (22-35-10).
Other Minnesota comebacks featured prominent Gophers coaches leading pro teams: Herb Brooks took over the North Stars for 1987-88 and conducted a one-season disaster (19-48-13). Bill Musselman returned to lead the expansion Timberwolves in 1989 and was fired for pushing too hard for victories (51 in two seasons) rather than draft position.
